Public hearing planned for proposed water rate hikeDARDANELLE — A proposed water and wastewater rate increase for the city of Dardanelle will be decided by City Council members following a public hearing on June 1. Water Department Manager Bill Smith presented his proposed rate increases during the City Council meeting Monday at City Hall. Smith proposed the water and sewer rate increases to compensate for the lack of revenue brought in by both departments. Smith said the last water rate incre...

Quorum Court approves employment, appropriationsThe Pope County Quorum Court approved a request to fill a vacancy and appropriate funds during its meeting Thursday at the Pope County Courthouse. A request by County Assessor Dana Baker to replace an employee who left on April 10 was approved 11-0. An ordinance to appropriate $3,000 in the Pope County 911 Fund was approved 11-0, which consisted of $350 in building materials and supplies, $400 in plumbing and electrical and $2,250 in other pro...

Little Rock Port board passes resolution on land useLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Little Rock Port Authority Board of Directors has passed a resolution on land use that encourages what the board calls appropriate use and development of property adjacent to the port's industrial park. The resolution approved Friday comes as a May 13 deadline for public comment approaches on an application by the Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma to place 160 acres adjacent to the port into federal trust. The board says the reso...

Man found shot to death in Little Rock homeLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Police in Little Rock said a man has been found shot to death in a home south of midtown. Lt. Sidney Allen said officers were called about 5:30 a.m. Friday by a person who said a neighbor had reported a person at another home had been shot. Allen said officers found Jonathan Brown, 33, dead with at least one gunshot wound and that detectives are searching for Ronnie Collins, 32, in connection with the shooting. Police said C...

Arkansas State Board of Trustees approve tuition increaseJONESBORO (AP) — The Arkansas State University Board of Trustees has approved tuition and fee increases at its meeting in Jonesboro. The board met Friday and approved a 4.27 percent increase in tuition and fees that will raise the average cost to a full-time student at the flagship campus in Jonesboro by $165 per semester. The board also approved tuition increases of 4.6 percent at ASU-Beebe; 3.8 percent at ASU-Newport; and 2.7 percent at ASU ...

Body found in creek in southwest Little RockLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Police in Little Rock said a body has been found in a creek in the southwestern part of the city. Lt. Sidney Allen said the body was found Friday morning. He said there cause of death, gender of the body and how long the person had been dead were not known. Allen said there were no obvious signs of trauma to the body and that it was sent to the state medical examiner's office for identification and to try and determine the c...

Transportation agency pulls bids on 9 projectsLITTLE ROCK (AP) — State transportation officials have pulled bids on nine road and bridge construction projects worth an estimated $120 million due to federal funding concerns. The Thursday announcement marks the fourth time this year the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department has trimmed its list of projects during the bid-letting stage. Seventy projects worth more than $280 million have been suspended so far. The department has slim...

Wal-Mart targets one-time Target stores in CanadaNEW YORK (AP) — Wal-Mart, already Canada's biggest retailer, wasted little time in cementing that title after its rival Target retreated back to the U.S. The company is buying 13 former Target stores and one distribution center and said it will hire 3,400 new employees. It is spending $290 million to buy and renovate the stores and said that will created 1,500 construction jobs. Target Corp. closed the last of its 133 Canadian stores in April ...

Person wanted in fatal shooting found walking along highwayHOPE (AP) — Authorities say a person wanted in a fatal shooting of an Oklahoma man this week was found walking along an Arkansas highway. The Texarkana Gazette reported the 49-year-old Idabel, Oklahoma, resident was taken into custody Thursday morning by an Arkansas State Police trooper on state Highway 32. Authorities in southwest Arkansas and southeast Oklahoma were alerted Wednesday night about the shooting and began searching the area for ...

Just passing throughCrew with Combs House Moving relocate a home Thursday morning from the corner of West Main Street and South Vancouver Avenue in Russellville. The house was moved through the neighborhood to West 2nd Place and South Seattle Avenue, where it will be renovated.

U of O Spring Commencement ceremony set for May 16CLARKSVILLE — University of the Ozarks will award bachelor degrees to 114 graduating seniors during its 2015 Spring Commencement ceremony, scheduled for 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 16, on the campus mall. A Baccalaureate Service in the Walton Fine Arts Center will begin the day’s activities at 9 a.m. The Rev. Stewart Smith, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Springdale, will deliver the proclamation during the Baccalaureate Service. Smith is...

McDonald's robbery suspects at large; police gathering infoClarksville police responded to a report of robbery at the McDonald’s located on 1232 S. Rogers St. on Thursday at approximately 1 a.m. Upon arrival, officers spoke to employees who reported that two people entered through an unlocked door and demanded cash. The suspects fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash toward the Nature Trail. Both suspects were dressed in dark clothing, masked and armed. Anyone with information about this inci...

Effort aims to resolve local food insecurityThe U.S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will deliver for America in conducting the nation’s largest single-day food drive on Saturday. “Together, we are continuing to make a difference in the lives of millions of Americans in need,” District Manager David Camp said. “The Postal Service is proud to play a major role with our carriers, corporate partners and local community organizations to help stamp out h...

Zaxby's to open Russellville locationZaxby’s will open a new location in Russellville in the fall of 2015. Construction is set to begin in either May or June, and once ground is broken, it will take 90-100 days on average to complete. The restaurant will be located at 2605 E. Main St. Zaxby’s will serve chicken fingers, wings, sandwiches and salads. Zaxby’s currently has 675 locations in 16 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missi...

ADEQ crematorium permit OK'dThe Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) informed Jim Bob Humphrey on Wednesday that an application for coverage under an ADEQ general permit for a proposed crematory near Center Valley Elementary School has been approved. Any construction or groundwork at the 35-acre site along Center Valley Road and State Highway 124 now awaits a decision from the Arkansas State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors — which decided to table...

Obituary: Cornelia NispelingCornelia “Corrie” Nispeling, 91, of Russellville died Thursday, May 7, 2015, at Arkansas Hospice River Valley Home. She was born Nov. 10, 1923, in Zwijndrecht, The Netherlands, to Piet and Wilhelmina Bakker. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Andries Nispeling; a granddaughter, Whitney Nelson; two sisters, Marie Tameris and Wil van der Wal; and two brothers, Wim Bakker and Jan Bakker. Survivors include her three daughters a...

Obituary: Junior RobertsDARDANELLE — Fleming Junior Roberts, 90, of Dardanelle died Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at Arkansas Hospice River Valley Home. He was born March 10, 1925, at Dardanelle to the late Fleming Lewis and Sallie Adcock Roberts. He was a United States Navy veteran, former member of the Yell County Mounted Patrol and a member of the Gum Springs Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He was preceded in death by his parents; one son, Ronnie Roberts; one daughter, ...

Obituary: Parker ParkerDARDANELLE — Parker Wilson Parker Jr., 52, of Dardanelle died Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at his home. He was born Nov. 22, 1962, at Russellville to the late Parker Wilson and Muril Jean Reynolds Parker Sr. He loved to hunt and fish. He was preceded in death by one brother, Henrey Parker; and grandparents, Monroe and Willie Parker, John and Hellen Reynolds. Survivors include his mother, Muril Reynolds Parker; one daughter; one sister, Connie Lynn ...

Obituary: Robert OwensDANVILLE — Robert Lynn Owens, 81, of Havana passed away Wednesday, May 6, 2015, at his home. He was born March 7, 1934, in Havana to the late Bill and Betty Moore Owens. Robert was a Korean Army veteran, a diesel mechanic and a member of the Havana Assembly of God Church. He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Tommy Joe Owens; and brothers, Thurman, Raymond and Winford Owens. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Selma Owens; sons, Pe...

Obituary: Rubin WilliamsDANVILLE — Rubin Henry Williams, 84, of Danville passed away Thursday, May 6, 2015, at River Valley Medical Center in Dardanelle. He was born July 22, 1930, at Rocky Crossing Community to the late Chester and Lizzie Williams. He retired from the U.S. Forest Service. He was preceded in death by his son, R.H. Williams; daughter, Lisa Williams; grandson, Wade Dillon Williams; son-in-law, Gary Russell; brothers, Leroy (Bill), and Virgie Clifton (K...